


Pinkie Swear

by a_skyfull_of_starz



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Big Brother Reiner, Birthday, Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:48:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23664151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_skyfull_of_starz/pseuds/a_skyfull_of_starz
Summary: Gabi doesn't want to celebrate her birthday.  Caring big brother Reiner wants to find out why.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 25





	Pinkie Swear

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this on my tumblr for Gabi's birthday, which was yesterday. Gabi deserves love and affection, and I will aggressively pile it onto her.

Two days before her birthday, Gabi Braun announced that she did not want to celebrate her birthday that year. On the day itself, her cousin woke her up fairly early. 

“It’s not my birthday,” Gabi mumbled, cocooning herself deeper under her blankets.

Reiner chuckled. “I know,” he said. “I was wondering if you wanted to come train with me at HQ.”

That got Gabi’s attention. Fast. She sat up. “For real?” she asked.

“Sure, why not,” Reiner said. “My mom’s made us both a packed breakfast. We can eat there. You in?” She nodded quickly. “Good,” he said. “Put on your fatigues and meet me downstairs.”

.....

Reiner and her mom were talking in hushed voices when she rushed downstairs although they both stopped talking when she entered the room. “Morning sweetheart,” her mom said, bending to kiss her on the forehead. “Ha-,”

“Mom, I already said I don’t want to celebrate my birthday,” Gabi complained, squirming away.

Her mom gave Reiner a knowing look. “Ah that’s right,” she said to Gabi. “I’m sorry.” She straightened Gabi’s collar and ran a hand over the top of her head. “Reiner has the breakfasts that Aunt Karina made for you. You’ll listen to your cousin, won’t you?”

“Urgh Mom, I’m not a kid anymore,” Gabi complained again.

“Oh no?” her mother asked lightly. “Because apparently you’re still eleven.”

Gabi rolled her eyes. “Come on let’s just go,” she said irritably to Reiner, who was watching the exchange with amused eyes. 

“Bye Auntie,” Reiner said, winking at her mom. “See you later.”

“Have fun you two,” her mom said. “Gabi.”

Gabi sighed and turned. “What?” she asked.

“Be good.”

“Mooom,” Gabi complained. Her mother laughed and the two of them left. 

..... 

“So what do you want to work on today?” Reiner asked as they walked through the internment zone to the Liberio gate.

“Hand-to-hand combat,” Gabi said at once. She knew she would need to improve on this if she were to inherit the Armour.

“You know, I’m actually not that good at hand-to-hand,” Reiner said.

“What do you mean?” Gabi asked. “Of course you are.”

Reiner shook his head. “I lost two important fights,” he said. “Annie was the one who was really good. If she were here, she could train you up.”

“You’re still good though,” Gabi said. She leaned towards him and whispered, “Better than Mr Galliard anyway.”

Reiner laughed. “You would get into so much trouble if one of the other seniors had to hear you say that,” he said.

“Well, I won’t let them,” Gabi answered.

They reached the gate and held out their permits. “Off to work even on your birthday?” the gate guard asked.

“It’s not my birthday,” Gabi said impassively.

“Eh?” the guard asked. “I could have sworn it was today.”

“Well it isn’t.”

“Gabi isn’t celebrating her birthday this year,” Reiner explained.

“Bit young for that attitude, isn’t she?” the gate guard asked.

“You know our Gabi’s a bit precocious,” Reiner said.

“You don’t say,” the gate guard said. “Well, have a good one.”

.....

Thanks to the early hour, there weren’t many people on the streets yet. “What did Mr Gate Guard mean when he said that I’m too young for that attitude?” Gabi asked. “What attitude?”

“Hm?” Reiner asked. “Oh, when adults reach a certain age, they stop celebrating their birthdays because they don’t want to get older. Older means closer to death after all.”

“What age is that?” Gabi asked.

“Usually forty I guess,” Reiner said.

“Does that mean my dad is gonna stop celebrating his birthday next year?”

Reiner laughed. “Maybe,” he said. “Your mom will probably breathe a sigh of relief if he does.”

Gabi laughed too. “Yeah, probably,” she agreed.

.....

They ate their breakfast at the training field, Gabi chattering about the various happenings in their training, before beginning their workout. A couple of hours later, Reiner glanced at his watch. “We should probably get back,” he said.

“We only just got here,” Gabi complained. 

“I promised your dad I’d help clean the gutters today,” he explained.

She sighed. “Ok I guess,” she said. “Mom’s probably going to rope me into some cooking and cleaning frenzy though.”

“Well, that can be your workout then,” Reiner said. 

“What do you mean?”

“Kneading bread works the arms and the abs if you do it right,” Reiner said. “If you scrub the floors in a low squat instead of on your knees, it’ll work your thighs and your calves. Sweeping can be cardio. You just need to use your imagination.”

Gabi laughed. “Ok fair,” she said.

.....

“Why didn’t you want to have your birthday today?” Reiner asked as they walked back to the internment zone.

“How come you didn’t have your birthday last year?” Gabi asked.

Reiner blinked. “I don’t know,” he said. “I guess…we’d just come back from the war in the east. I wasn’t really in a celebratory mood at the time.”

“You didn’t celebrate the year before either though,” Gabi pointed out. “And you hadn’t been sent to the front in three weeks that time.”

Reiner huffed out a sigh. “Gabi,” he said. “You didn’t want to have your birthday because I didn’t celebrate mine?”

Gabi blushed. “I don’t know, I guess…” her voice trailed off. “I don’t remember you from before you left, but I know that things are difficult for you now. I don’t want you to feel…alone.”

Reiner crouched down in front of her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Gabi listen to me,” he said. “My problems are mine. You don’t need to take them on. I don’t want you to take them on. Whatever I might be feeling, whatever I’m going through, they’re not your problems. They’re mine. You are an amazing, brave, strong, funny little girl, and honestly, I think that the anniversary for the day you came into this world is one that should be celebrated.”

“But you-,”

“I’m fine,” Reiner interrupted. “I promise, ok? You don’t need to worry about me.”

“You promise?”

“Pinkie swear,” Reiner said. He held out his hand. Gabi giggled and hooked her much smaller pinkie on his large one. “Come on, let’s get going,” he said. “I bet your dad is really excited to climb onto the roof with me.”

“Urgh don’t,” Gabi said. “Dad likes to act as though he’s younger than he really is. He’ll end up throwing his back again.”

“Yeah well, he’ll have his big, strong, much younger nephew with him to help, won’t he?”

Gabi smiled. “Hey Reiner?” she said.

“What’s up?”

“I guess it’s ok to celebrate my birthday,” she said. “But only with you, Mom and Dad though, ok?”

“And my mom?” Reiner asked, sounding scandalised.

“Oh alright, Aunt Karina too then. She’s a better cook than Mom after all.” She paused. “Reiner, will you celebrate your birthday this year too though? Even if it’s only with us?”

Reiner smiled slightly. “I guess I could,” he said. “But only with you guys.”

“Yay,” Gabi said excitedly. “I’ll bake you a cake and everything.”

Reiner laughed. “Gabi, the last cake you baked was burnt to a crisp,” he said.

“I’m a year older now,” Gabi said. “That means I’m a year smarter too.”

“That’s true,” Reiner said. He looked down at his young cousin. “Happy birthday Gabi.”


End file.
